Just One Sip by Scarlett Dawn Page A

had been. He was content with it, as was I. One of the reasons why we had always…clicked.
    My head tilted the barest bit in question while he continued peeking in boxes. “Did you come by to see me or to check out my goods?” As meager as they were.
    He opened a small trinket box on top of the fireplace, evaluating the inside. “Both.”
    I blinked. “Oh.” My gut churned, making me nauseous. I kept my voice from wavering at the slight hurt his answer had caused. “What are you looking for?”
    His gaze slammed to mine. He had always been able to read me. “I wanted to see you.”
    My lips tugged up at the edges, a small smile. “Good.”
    Again, his brows puckered as he glanced at my neck. “But I do need something back I gave you a long time ago,” he pointed at his neck, and then to mine, “although you don’t seem to be wearing it any longer.”
    I lifted a hand to my neck…feeling where the necklace no longer lay. My jaw dropped, and I hurriedly peered around the living room floor. “The clasp has been slipping on it. It must have come off when I was sleeping. I’ll be back in a second.” I walked quickly to my bedroom, holding my stomach the whole way. He wanted it back. He had never asked for it back.
    I stalled in my actions to search my bed sheets when he came into my bedroom. He surveyed my room, the one area I had actually been able to unpack. His gaze caught on the prescription bottle on my dresser, but he swiftly looked away to find my gaze. “I recently found out it was a gift from my father to my mother. I had no clue when I gave it to you.”
    My eyes widened. “She told you about it?”
    “In one of her lucid moments.”
    I went back to searching. “Jesus, I’m sorry.”
    He was quiet, and when he spoke, his words were soft. “I’ll buy you another.”
    My hands faltered just as I found the necklace under my pillow. I couldn’t look at him, not yet. I might be testing him. His feelings. “You don’t have to, Jet. You gave this to me when we were just kids.”
    “Lucy, it’s always been you. And when you’re ready, I’ll buy you one ten times more grand.”
    Gradually, I lifted. My hands shook so badly that it was embarrassing as I pulled the ring off the chain. Silently, I gave the blue sapphire ring to him. The hue of the ring matched his hair color. With his dark Italian ancestry, his constant change of hair color—the one outrageous action he allowed himself—was vivid against his bronze complexion. His fingers were warm as they curled around mine, gently accepting the ring from me.
    And there it was. The break in his stony countenance. One of the reasons why I would never be able to say no to him. He only gifted me his smile. Small it might be at times, but his lips would curl up on one side, flashing his white teeth…and the dimples he had. Sweet, so sweet. His tone was tender as he murmured quietly, “I’ve missed you, Lucy Plume.”
    I pulled my hand back to the safety of my pants pockets. “I’ve missed you too, Jet Mak.”

December 20, 2005 - Age 15
    “What?” Jet asked as his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. “You aren’t coming with me again ?”
    Ice pricked between my shoulder blades. I would much rather be holed up under my blankets than have this conversation. My voice was small, just like I felt at this moment. “No, I can’t.”
    “Give me a goddamn explanation, Lucy! For once, just give me an answer!”
    I didn’t have one to give him. I was at a loss. I felt lost. “I just…can’t.”
    He ran his hands through his pink hair in frustration. “I don’t understand.” He paced the living room, my mom in the kitchen trying to give us privacy. Though, if Jet became any louder, I feared she would come in to intervene. He shook his hands at me, showing the most expression I think I had ever seen from him. “It’s just my family and their friends.” He pointed a sharp finger at our tree decorated with homemade ornaments. “It’s a Christmas